peters



uNiTED sTATEs PATENT oFFioE.

J. E. MCCONNELL, OF WOLVERTON, ENGLAND.

LOCOMOTIVE-BOILER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,436, dated June 2, 1857.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the county of Buckingham, England, civil engineer, have invented certain Improvements in Locomotive-Engines, and that the, following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle or character which distinguishes them from all other things before known and of the usual manner of making, modifying, and using the same, reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon-that is to say:

This invention relates to various improvements in the details and general arrangement of locomotive engines comprehending: First, the supply of atmospheric air to and the combustion in furnaces by means of tubular or hollow stays in the fire boxes. Second, the transverse indentation of the underside of the cylindrical portion of locomotive engine boilers so as to lower the center of gravity in combination with the extending the inside fire box into the barrel or body of the boiler and by introducing a series of vertical tubes in the fire boxto secure a greater direct treating surface and reduce the length of the flue tubes. Third, the heating of the feed water for locomotive engine boilers by passing it through the. smoke box. Fourth, the surcharging or highly heating the steam as a means of drying economizing or increasing the power thereof. Fifth, the application of tubular or hollow metal in the manufacture or formation of piston rods and connecting rods. Sixth, the construction of the piston cylinders and cylinder and valve covers either wholly of wrought iron or steel or of iron and steel combined or of brass or other metal less acted upon by oxidation and lastly toimprovements in the springs and other details of pistons.

Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of my drawings represents a vertical longitudinal section of a locomotive boiler smoke box and fire box showing the mode of applying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a corresponding horizontal section of the same showing the arrangement of the midfeather and water spaces on one side of the center line of the boiler and being broken away in the body of the boiler for the purpose of showing a section of the cylinder piston and connecting rod and the manner in which the cylinders may Fig. 3 represents the vertical center line of the crank axle and the second through the combustion chamber showing a wheel and hollow axle the thickness of the metal is shown by the dotted lines.

At Fig. 1 on Sheet 1 of'the drawings the fire box A is increased in size and extended some distance into the barrel of the boiler at B, thereby diminishing to a corresponding degree the length of the tubes C.

D, is a midfeather formed in the center of the fire box the water having access to its interior by apertures at its top and end.

E, E, are a number of vertical tubes connecting the bottom and top of the extended portion of the re box to increase the heating surface and allow a free' circulation of the water. In order to lower as much as possible the center of gravity of the engine the underside of the fire box is indented transversely across the axial line of the boiler. The feed water is heated economically by employing the waste steam from the blast pipe for that purpose. This is effected by passing the feed water through the coils F, which surround the blast pipe G. An external casing or jacket is tted around the blast pipe thereby forming an annular space between the inside of the jacket andl the outside of the blast pipe. The feed water enters this space at the upper extremity and is finally carried off by the pipe I-I, fitted at the bottom of the annular space into the feed pipe, whence it is forced into the boiler.

For the purpose of surcharging or highly heating the steam apart from the water in the boiler previous to its supply to the engine cylinders I employ a chamber set vertically in the smoke box at a short distance from the outside of the tube plate J. This heating chamber may either fit nearly to the transverse contour of the smoke box or may consist merelyof a flattened steam pipe and fitted with tubes K, corresponding to the tubes in the boiler that the heated air and gases may pass direct from the furnace thence up the chimney inthe ordinary man-- ner. An application of pipes is shown on the accompanying drawings for the admission of a jet of steam into the lirebox direct from the boiler or for the introduction of hot air direct from an air chamber in the smoke box or both combined. A pipe L opens into the upper side or steam spaceof the boiler and-the opposite end of this pipe is connected with the rebox at M. Any number of these pipes may be employed and may be connected to any partof the firebox. They may also be made to draw steam from the blast pipe or steam chest as may be found most expedient. Care must be taken however that they are all under the control of the engineer, so that the admission of steam or hot air may be regulated according to the amount of draft required. A similar pipe N, connects the fire box with an air vessel O placed in the smoke box. This vessel is fitted with a funnel mouthed pipe P, to catch the air as the engine is traveling. The heat from the fire heats the air in the vessel O whence it passes by the pipes N to the fire box at Q. Any number of these hot air pipes may be used all however being under the control of the engineer. At R, a jet of hot air and steam combined vis introduced into the fire box the hot air being brought from the air vessel in the smoke box and the steam from the boiler direct. The steam pipe is inclosed within the air Ypipe and its nozzle is farther backv than the air pipe so as to drive the air before it. A jet of steam may also be admitted through any or all Jof the tubular stays either from the boiler itself as shown by the pipe which enters the fire box at M, and opens into the steam space of the boiler at S or from the steam chest or blast pipe or all combined.

U is a longitudinal section of one of the "cylinders taken through the steam chest showing the flanges V by which the two cylinders are connected by means of bolts. This view shows also the arrangements of the steam superheating and exhaust pipes. The regulator W is merely shown for the sake of its connection with the steam pipes. X is a section of the crosshead showing the manner of attaching it` to the hollow piston rod and to the connecting rod. The semihorizontal section of the fire box in Fig. 2, Sheet 1, shows the arrangement of the stays, water spaces, and midfeather. The body of the boiler is shown as broken away about the middle at Y, in order to show the horizontal section of the cylinder piston, piston rod, connecting rod and leading axle.

The cylinder Z together with Vits covers, stuffing boxes, steam chest and steam passages is formed entirely of wrought iron. It is formed out 0f a flat plate turned up,

vbody of the piston.

scarfed and. welded at the 'junction and bored out in the usual manner and the portion in which the steam and exhaust passages and the valve face are formed is forged in two separate pieces the exhaust port a being riveted to the cylinder at while the remaining portion which is combined to form the steam passages is riveted at c to the valve face d which is planed out of both pieces.v The valve chest is formed in the same manner as the cylinder and is bolted t-o the sides of the cylinder at e. The steam and exhaust passages or portions of them and the cylinder and valve covers may be forged or molded by dies or matrices as used in the forging of pistons hereafter described.

The piston rod f is tubular and screwed on to the body of the piston at g the opposite end being screwed into the boss of the cross head as shown at h Fig. l. The piston rod and connecting rod being hollow or tubular may be manufactured in the same manner as the hollow axles previously described: An iron or steel center i is passed through the eye of the cross head through the small end ofv the connecting rod j and finally through the slide block 7c working freely in the slide bar Z which is formed with the cavity running the whole length of the bar with the intention of increasing the surface of the slide block and thus obviating to a great extent the undue` wear from friction .at the same time strengthening the bar and making it much lighter the raised edge m of the slide bar preventing the oil from running olf and being wasted. The transverse section of the piston shown in the cylinder at n has a short portion of the rod forged on the A steam hammer may be employed for forging or molding the body of the piston. A mass of heatedmetal of the requiredvsize is placed upon an anvil of the section required to produce the piston the hammer face having a corresponding section for the other side of the forged article.

The swaging or molding brings the mass of metal into the requisite shape being a thin flat disk 0 having on one side a projecting ring p and onv the other a projection g for thepiston rod to be screwed on to. This forged blank is then turned up and.

finished in a lathe, an internal screw of which are slightly grooved to receive a steel ring u on the surface of which the springs work. The springs being narrower than the depth of the space in the piston they are thus kept free of side friction. The springs are set up and adjusted by the set screws i) which are tapped through the ring p so as to bear against thesprings at their apices. lVhen the springs and packing are in their places the plate g is screwed on and the stay bolt w is passed through the hole in the center of the plate and screwed at its opposite end into the body of the piston. As the plate will require a powerful start in taking off and a firm screwing up just as it comes to a bearing it may be effected by forming a slight recess x in the interior of the body of the piston for the entry of the end of a lever which may be passed through a plug hole at 1 the recess e forming a fulcrum while the side pressure of the lever in the plug hole will urge around the plate. The cylinder covers may be screwed on by having an external thread on the covers and an internal thread in the cylinders as shown in the section of the piston. The piston rod may either be welded or screwed to the short piece on the body of the piston or the latter may be screwed to receive the end of a tubular rod as hereinbefore described.

Instead of forming the body of the piston entirely of wrought iron it may be made of steel or of steel and iron combined or the whole or one part of brass so that the screw will not tend to stick from oxidation. And in place of making the deep ring on the body of the piston as shown in the accompanying drawings it may be formed on the plate or the rings may have an equal depth on each surface or the relative depth of each may be varied as may be most convenient in practice.

Fig. l on Sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings represents a transverse section through the smoke box of my improved locomotive showing an end view and transverse section of the arrangement of the apparatus for heating the feed water, F being the coil, H the annular space, G the blast pipe and O the air chamber. As hereinbefore described in reference to Fig. l on Sheet l of my drawings Z, is a section of the cylinder through the exhaust port and also through the blast pipe annular water space and coil above mentioned. A1 is another section of the cylinder through the steam port and slide valve showing a view of the piston with the cover removed and the mode in which the cylinders are attached to the smoke box B1 and frame C1 by means of the brackets D1 being first riveted on to the cylinders by means of countersunk rivets and afterward being bolted through the smoke box on to the frame. The portions forming the steam and exhaust ports are riveted on as shown at E1 and the cylinders are finally bolted together at the flanges Y.

Fig. 2 on Sheet 2 represents a transverse section of the boiler through the ire box A. Two rows of vertical tubes E connect the water space below the lire box with the water above as before mentioned.` F are longitudinal stays of long bar iron firmly secured to the fire box and smoke box end of the boiler. G1 are stays from the roof of the lire box to the inside of the crown of the boiler being secured at one end to the angle iron H1 which is riveted longitudinally on to the roof of the fire box and at the other end to the T iron I1 running lengthwise with the crown of the boiler. J1 is a solid ring entirely surrounding the bottom of the inner irebox and being securely riveted beneath the inside of the rebox shell and the outside of the firebox forms a sutiicient space above this ring for the water to com pletely surround the inner irebox as in ordinary locomotive boilers. K1 are hollow stays as before described with reference to Fig. l on Sheet 1 of the drawings. E1 are pieces of angle iron riveted to the side of the iirebox and bearing on the face of other pieces of angle iron riveted into the frame as shown at N, for transmitting the weight of the boiler on to the frame C1. O is a section of an ordinary ash pan.

Fig. 3 on Sheet 2 represents two semi transverse sections of the boiler the first being on the vertical center line of the crank axle and the second through the combustion chamber W. The first section shows the indentation that is necessary in the bottom of the boiler to allow the connecting rod to clear it when the crank is at the top center as shown at P. Q is an end view of the driving wheel and B the tube plate which is brought down suticiently low to receive the front ange of the cylinder. S is the water space formed between the two halves of the rebox. T1 is a section through the dome on the top of the boiler with an elevation of the regulator U. Placed transversely along the combustion chamber are a number of roof stays V through which a series of bolts are screwed into the top of the combustion chamber and for further security a nut is tightly screwed on to the end of the bolt against the underside of the top plate of the combustion chamber W. A space is left between the bottom of the roof stays V and the top of the chamber W to allow the water to circulate freely and prevent the firebox from being burned away. X is a vertical stay connecting the roof stays by means of the pins Y to a bar of T iron Z riveted firmly into the inside of the crown of the boiler thus securing the roof of the chamber W from being forced down by the external pressure of the steam in the boiler.

Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect I may observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or refer to as many Variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my invention but What I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the invention to'be secured to ine by Letters Patent for the United States is l. The fireboX increased in size so as to extend into the barrel of the boiler, and in connection therewith the tubular stays conveying a supply of fresh air into the eX- Vhundred and fifty four.

J. E, MCCONNELL.

Signed and sealed by the within named JAMES VEDWARD MCCONNELL in the presence of- J. HENRY JOHNSON. BRIs'row HUNT. 

